Telluric

Chapter XX: 100 Casualties

XX

The darkness provided a veil as Clary watched Diego and Noah leave the clock tower. MUSE lay on the air beside her, watching in a bored manner, sighing into the air.

"This is boring," MUSE exclaimed, holding onto Clary's shoulders. "When are we going to KILL someone? I hope your plans for me don't only involve fetching things or threatening demon-possessed teachers." MUSE floated around the silent Clary, who watched the two tread slowly toward the police station. Scowling, Clary turned to MUSE.

"We're going to find out what they're doing," Clary whispered, turning back to the road. "Whether or not I have to burn down the whole fucking town," She continued, waltzing slowly onto the road.

MUSE cocked her head and made a face. "Cliché as fuck..." They whispered under their breath. MUSE followed Clary through the streets, while Clary burned any zombie stupid enough to approach her while in her angered state of mind.

Clary reached the station before Noah and Diego, and waited in the bushes with MUSE hiding away all of her glowing tattoos.

"There have been at least one hundred casualties, madam." Carlos Paloma told the mayor in a worried manner. Clary could hear Mayor Roxanne sigh and tread on the cement floor, the window offering clear and unobstructed hearing for their conversation.

"As long as they have both coins," Roxanne began. "There should be no problem in stopping the invasion... At least one hundred... how the hell are there so many casualties?"

"From the information that the scientists working underneath the Blackbird's Perch have gained, a conclusion may be drawn that there is some external source these undead creatures are harvesting citizens for. They seem quite adept at moving things, but not necessarily able to murder things without losing limbs."

"That's... weird... I've never encountered someone harvesting humans through use of zombies before."

Clary turned toward the window and thought about the series of events, and had a sudden cognizance on the situation. "Christine Ramona," Clary whispered aloud.

MUSE whispered back, "Finally figured it out, eh? Not too shabby for a mortal... or at least semi-mortal."

"Then... that demon used my spell book to raise the dead and harvest souls? There are no spells for that though..."

"Demons live, or at least exist, forever, so it's not as though she never could have found a spell for it anywhere." MUSE explained annoyed.

"But how did she perform it? It must have taken an unbelievable amount of magic to initiate..."

MUSE smiled wickedly, curling her lips into a Cheshire- like grin. "Graywood is a peculiar town..." She cooed malevolently. "With many peculiar commodities. Listen more and you may find what you want to hear. Humans are quite good at that..."

Clary waited for the two to begin talking again, which happened once Noah and Diego made their way into the room.

"Have you received the coins?" Roxanne began questioning.

"Yeah..." Noah stuttered. "But um... there was only one..."

"What?" Roxanne turned to Carlos, and in concerned tones they began whispering about something. MUSE muttered what they were saying to Clary in a perfect impression of their voices.

"Shit, where's the other coin?" Roxanne muttered.

"I don't know... should we notify the Personal Police to search every house looking for it?" Carlos replied in a muddled and hushed tone.